1. Strategic Planning for an IR Office
TAIR Conference
Corpus Christi, TX | February 12, 2018
Gina Johnson, PhD
Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships & Membership

2. Presentation Goals Present a brief overview of strategic planning
Develop a basic understanding of strategic planning for an IR office
Provide (and interact with) resources for strategic planning
Duties & Functions of Institutional Research
Statement of Aspirational Practice for Institutional Research
AIR Code of Ethics
Note – there are entire presentations on strategic planning (resources include LinkedIn Learning). This presentation will touch quickly on the basics of strategic planning, with a focus on resources specific to IR offices/functions.
Questions:
How many of you have been involved in strategic planning at your organization?
How many have been involved in strategic planning for your IR function?
What do you hope to get from today’s presentation?

3. Overview of Strategic Planning

4. Why Develop a Strategic Plan?
Provides a focus for your office/function
Gives staff a rallying point
Helps to identify risks and opportunities
Others?

5. What do you get from Strategic Planning?
The plan itself (document to which you can refer)
A set of core competencies of your office/function
A prioritized list of projects and initiatives you must and can pursue
A timeline to implement your plan

6. Elements of a Strategic Plan
Mission
Vision
Guiding Principles
Goals
Mission – Why does your IR office/function exist? What is it’s purpose? (Should tie to mission of your organization)
Vision – Where is your IR office going to be? What do you want to achieve?
Guiding Principles {aka values or culture} – How do you want the IR staff behaving?
Goals – Results that are 1) quantifiable, 2) measurable, 3) In a fixed timeframe (We love this in IR!!)

7. Strategic Planning for an IR Office

8. Step 1 - Defining Your Mission
Jot down ideas in response to:
Why does your IR office exist?
What is your IR office’s purpose?
Resource – Duties and Functions of Institutional Research
Do any of these duties and functions help define your purpose?

9. Step 2 – Defining Your Vision
Jot down ideas in response to:
Where would you like to be in 3-5 years as an IR office/function?
What do you want to achieve as an IR office/function?
Resource – Statement of Aspirational Practice for Institutional Research
See pages 8-9 for how to use this tool to develop a vision
Who might you select as participants in an organization-wide discussion of a vision for the institutional research function?

10. Step 3 – Developing Guiding Principles
Jot down ideas in response to:
How do we expect our IR staff to behave?
Resource – AIR Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Competence
Practice
Confidentiality
Relationships to the Community
Relationships to the Craft

11. Step 4 – Goal Setting
What MUST we accomplish in the next 3-5 years? (timeline)
What SHOULD we accomplish in the next 3-5 years?
What resources would it take to accomplish all of these ideas?
Do we currently have those resources in the IR office? In our organization?
Can we obtain the necessary resources? If so, how? If not, which ideas will need to be shelved?
Quantifiable
Measurable
Fixed Timeframe

12. Commitment
Jot down your plan for implementing some of what you learned today.
Share that plan with the person next to you.
Exchange s – connect in March to encourage each other.

13. Contact me
@GinaJohnsonIR